MFT squaring

[Master Carpenter]

How often is everyone checking their MFT guiderail for square? How often are you finding it needs adjustment?

I've had my MFT for 8 years and have never had to adjust the factory set stops, they've always been dead on. I pull a diagonal measurement every once in a while across panels coming off the table and they always seem good. My cabinets always come out square.

I seem to come across a lot of methods and tools for squaring the MFT, is it all a bunch of drama created to make us worry/spend money on a nonissue?

 

[Sparktrician]

I check mine at least once per day, but seldom have to adjust it.  There have been several threads on the "how to" aspects; one recently.  If you only cut one thickness of material, it will rarely go out of square, but if you change thicknesses frequently or square it low, then raise the rail, there is a much greater likelihood that it will go out of square, just from raising or lowering it. 

 

[duc996]

I usually check the MFT for square each time before I begin a project. I know it seems a lot but, I have my MFT on a cart I built and I seem to grab the fence sometimes to move the cart around. I think it has gotten to be a habit now to check the MFT.  8)

 

[SoonerFan]

Rarely do I find my MFT/3 out of square.  I check the cut more often when dry fitting than I do the actual table.  I probably check it at the start of a new project plus whenever I reinstall the fence. 

 

[Bohdan]

If you adjust the height of your rail to suit the various thicknesses of material correctly it won't go out of square.

The correct proceedure is to put the material under the rail. Release both rail clamps and, while holding the rail down flat on the material, tighten the back clamp.

Now, while holding the rail down flat on the material, raise the front clamp so that the pin indexes the rail and the clamp is square against the rail, tighten the front clamp.

Your rail is now set at the correct height and should be square.

If the material is not wide enougth to reach from the fence to the front clamp you have to either move the material or use another piece of packing that is the same thickness.

 

[Trevin]

[member=7493]Sparktrician[/member]
Willy looks upset!  hala...... [smile]

 

[Birdhunter]

I check mine before starting a project. I use a Woodpecker framing square or their MFT special purpose square.

The only time it has been out of square is when one of the fasteners on the pivot loosened.

I’ll always make a test cut before cutting into the real stuff. I butt the top of the wood against Qwas dogs and my rail has the Slop Stop piece. The cuts come out square.

 

[Don Ware]

=11s  And on Amazon if you have prime Ships for Free !!! MFT Squarehttps://www.amazon.com/Anderson-Ply..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518583694&sr=8-1&keywords=mft+square

 

[pixelated]

I've just purchased an MFT, squaring the fence to the rail went fine, I'm satisfied with their squareness to each other. However, the fence and presumably the rail are a good bit off the dog holes.

Should I reset the stops and square everything to the hole pattern or not worry about it? Is there much advantage to having everything square to the dog holes? I have a set of short and tall Parf dogs that I can use for reference.

 

[DynaGlide]

I've just purchased an MFT, squaring the fence to the rail went fine, I'm satisfied with their squareness to each other. However, the fence and presumably the rail are a good bit off the dog holes.

Should I reset the stops and square everything to the hole pattern or not worry about it? Is there much advantage to having everything square to the dog holes? I have a set of short and tall Parf dogs that I can use for reference.

There is no need to square to the dog holes unless you plan on using setup blocks and bench dogs for rail and fence setup. If you have the rail and fence square to each other and it's repeatable then you're good.

 

[Birdhunter]

I think this MFT squaring issue comes up about once a week and everyone seems to have a favorite method.

I never use the protractor. I square the track saw rail to the dog holes. I use the dog holes to position the wood thus I get square cuts. I use the Woodpecker framing square or the Woodpecker MFT square to obtain the dogs to rail squaring. Simple and reliable.

 

[pixelated]

Thank you [member=15289]Birdhunter[/member] and [member=65062]DynaGlide[/member],
I ended up doing both, aligning the fence and rail to dog holes, then double checking with a square on the fence and rail.
If anyone is interested, two lengths of 20mm 80/20 side by side plus two Parf dogs put the rail within a few mm's of the factory position (but aligned with the holes).

Overkill, probably, but the OCD part of me won't be freaking at sight of the kerf running at a slight angle. [wink]

 

[charlie2054]

Can anyone comment about the absoluteness squareness of the hole pattern in the MFT? If it is square then it would seem best to use that as a square reference. The holes will automatically produce a 0 ,45 , and 90 degree angles by just using decent dogs.

 

[Gregor]

Can anyone comment about the absoluteness squareness of the hole pattern in the MFT?

Good enough, the better the more apart the holes you use are from each other.

 

[peter halle]

Can anyone comment about the absoluteness squareness of the hole pattern in the MFT? If it is square then it would seem best to use that as a square reference. The holes will automatically produce a 0 ,45 , and 90 degree angles by just using decent dogs.

Many of us use the hole pattern with dogs and have great success.  BUT Festool has never marketed the MFT hole pattern as being a positioning aid for accurate 90 and 45 cuts.  It has always been for clamping or for stops to prevent sliding. 

Peter

 

[charlie2054]

I just did a quick calculation. A .005” error in hole placement would result in A .01 degree angle error assuming the holes are 20” apart.
This is extremely good.
This assumes the track rails are perfectly aligned with the hole grid and stay that way as you raise and lower them.
That same error would be there whether you use the holes or something else as an alignment reference.
Anyone know why Festool does not recommend using these for alignment?

 

[Archman]

Unfortunately I have not found mine to be very useful.  It will not stay calibrated if I move it so I wouldn’t trust it on any angle other than 90 or 45 since I can check those with a square.  If I square it to 90 and move the gauge to 45 it’s off.  Actually it goes off calibration if I move it anywhere other than where I check it. 

 

[charlie2054]

Are you referring to the miter gauge, table, or the track itself?

 

[Archman]

The table is great!  I love the clamping options and for 90 and 45 cuts I can just square the track to material against bench dogs one time and move the dogs around as desired.  Using the miter gauge/fence is inconsistent if I change the angle.  If I square it at 90 I can cut great 90s but if I move it to 45 (for example) it’s off of 45 degrees. I have to take out a square and loosen the adjustment on the gauge and get it set to 45.  If I move it again it’s off.  Again.

 

[charlie2054]

Thanks for the clarification. Is this the MFT3 gauge?